Two more political parties established yesterday
Two more political parties established yesterday
JAKARTA (JP): Nearly 10,000 Moslems gathered at the Al Azhar
Grand Mosque yesterday to mark the birth of the Justice Party
established by a group of young intellectuals.
Boasting the support of student groups in 21 provinces, the
new party -- which can be added to an already long list of 56
parties created over the past three months -- promised to strive
to find ways to help the nation out of the crisis.
"The people are now facing a food crisis, massive unemployment
and poverty," said party president Nurmahmudi Ismail, a 37-year-
old researcher at the Agency for the Assessment and Application
of Technology and a PhD graduate from Texas A&M University.
"Bold steps are needed to solve the problems," he told his
audience from various cities. He spoke little of party programs,
but promised to outline them later, including a plan for the
establishment of food crisis centers.
Founded by 48 largely unknown activists, many of whom hold
doctorates, the party made a special call on the country's Moslem
majority to bear the bulk of responsibility to restore
Indonesia's reputation in the international community.
Among the party's supporters are the Moslem Students Action
Front (KAMMI), whose activists were involved in student
demonstrations to pressure former president Soeharto to resign
earlier this year.
Party executive Hidayat Nurwahid said the party -- which
promised to be open to people from any religious background --
would also serve as a social lever, and would closely watch
President B.J. Habibie's administration and the Armed Forces.
At almost the same time yesterday, noted lawyer R.O. Tambunan
declared the establishment of the People's Sovereignty Party
(Pilar) at the office of the state minister of sports and youth
affairs.
Tambunan, who shot into prominence after becoming the chief
lawyer for the Indonesian Democratic Party's (PDI) ousted leader,
Megawati Soekarnoputri, in her battle against political rivals in
1996, blasted the current political system for limiting the
number of parties and the people's right to assemble.
"Over the 32 years of New Order rule, political parties did
not function as a channel for the people's aspirations; rather
they served merely as tools to perpetuate the power of Soeharto's
regime," he said.
Tambunan said: "The People's Sovereignty Party wants to know
what concepts President B.J. Habibie has to solve the country's
crisis.
"What will he do to save the nation from crumbling? He should
clearly and openly present his ideas so the people can evaluate
their efficacy.
"If the government does not yet have a clear strategy, we want
it to invite experts to discuss and come up with clear and
rational concepts to lift the nation of its economic turmoil," he
said.
Review
Also yesterday, representatives from 17 newly established
political parties demanded the government revise a stipulation in
the bill on political parties currently being drafted.
The draft currently stipulates that only parties with branches
in half of the country's 27 provinces and regencies can
participate in the general election.
"The stipulation is much too severe," said Zakirudin Jamin,
chairman of the Indonesian United Believers Party, as quoted by
Antara.
"There's no way for us new parties to establish that many
branches in such a short time," he said in the meeting held at
Gedung Joang '45.
President Habibie promised to hold national elections by next
May.
"It seems that the draft law, being prepared by the Ministry
of Home Affairs, is intended to maintain the (old system of)
three political parties only," he said.
Wilhelmus Bokha of the Indonesian Workers Party said the
meeting was designed to let parties get to know each other, learn
different perspectives about reform and discuss ways to address
the increasingly severe economic crisis.
Bambang Sulistomo of the Indonesian Democrats Alliance Party
(PADI) said the meeting did not discuss the possibility of a
coalition between the new parties. (swe)